I think had they had more people around, and guns,they would have been more mass killings in a populations.
I think that something you describe in a population of 300 million is less than .00000001 percent of all the unhappiness and killing going on. (something akin to the mass shootings we have just had)
And yes it was a broad definition, but are we asking to go back (tribe)to that or move forward with the current society the way it is set up. And I yes if I was so inclined give example after example of societies brought into the 21 century by those broad definitions of consolidation under leadership as opposed to warring states or tribes, which overall has allowed the human race to prosper.
Qin Dynasty
Shogunate rule
Civil War

Not everything that happened in those instances were good by a long shot, but it did not as you say bring the pestilence, famine, etc. And there was murder , lots of it. But all those societies prospered afterwards. Non assimilation and balkanization of this society may be its downfall. Anti heroism, everyman for himself, everyone his own agenda, etc, is what is being espoused by academia and popular culture nowadays and it is not good for the society whatsoever....
agree to disagree

￼￼￼￼￼￼A day will dawn when you will yourself laugh at your effort. That which is on the day of laughter is also now.
Ramana Maharishi